7 Electric Cars With The Biggest Batteries

Come count kilowatt-hours with us.

As lithium battery cells are produced in growing quantities, and research into improving them continues, they’re become cheaper and more energy dense. These changes mean the batteries powering our electric vehicles hold more kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy and are achieving longer ranges per charge, making them more practical for more people.

We expect this trend to continue for a while, though eventually it will make sense to cap the number of kWh a car might have. Then, reducing the physical size and weight of the battery packs will take precedence, which will also contribute to further increases in efficiency and, therefore, range. Until we get there, we’re keeping an eye on which vehicles have the biggest batteries as that is a great indicator of range and relative price.

Now, we should note that since a number of new vehicles with large battery packs are poised to arrive over the next year or so, we’ll be updating this list from time to time to keep you up to speed with this developing market. Also, since some vehicles have more than one battery size option, we are limiting their appearance to one instance, represented by its largest available pack. Keeping all that in mind, let’s take a look at the top 7 vehicles available in the U.S. today, according to the amount of energy their batteries will hold. (*Note – You’ll find battery size and much more in our Compare EVs page here).

7. 2018 Ford Focus Electric – 33.5 kWh

The Ford Focus Electric has been around since December of 2011, but got a 47 percent increase to its battery for the 2017 model year. That’s enough juice to earn a 115-mile range rating from the EPA. It just edges out the BMW i3 with its 33.2 kWh pack, but with only 1,817 examples moved in all of 2017, it’s hardly a sales champ. By contrast, the i3, with only 107-mile EPA range and $44,450 base MSRP, sold 6,276 copies. The Ford Focus Electric starts at $29,120 before incentives.

6. 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf – 35.8 kWh

Like the Ford Focus Electric, the Volkswagen e-Golf is built on the bones of an internal-combustion-powered model. Still, engineers have figured out how to squeeze a 35.8 kWh battery into this vehicle, despite it not being originally designed to accommodate an electric drivetrain. Starting at $30,495 before incentives, the 2017 e-Golf (there is no 2018 model), offers 125 miles of range, as rated by the EPA.

5. 2018 Nissan LEAF – 40 kWh

The 2018 Nissan LEAF is a thoroughly refreshed update of the original we’ve loved since December of 2010. Besides an exterior that strongly aligns with the design language of many of its Nissan stablemates, the latest LEAF packs on an additional 10 kWh to the 30 kWh battery of the 2017 version. Though it has a variant arriving with the next year that will boast a 60 kWh pack, this first new LEAF is a pretty good value, starting at $29,990 and offering an EPA-rated 151 miles of range.

4. 2018 Chevy Bolt – 60 kWh

General Motors was seen as a little late to the all-electric game, its public relations nightmare EV1 experiment aside, preferring to pursue the plug-in market with its unique Chevy Volt. It made up for lost time by surpassing the almost every all electric out there with the Chevy Bolt and its 60 kWh battery selling 23,297 examples — more than double the sales of the Nissan LEAF — in 2017. The electric hatch wears an MSRP of $36,620 and boasts an EPA range rating of 238 miles.

3. 2018 Tesla Model 3 Long Range – 80.5 kWh

The latest offering from California electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla is the Model 3 Long Range, which it began delivering last July. Now, this sedan may be known as the “affordable Tesla,” with a starting price of $35,000, but that’s actually the price point for the Model 3 Standard Battery version. To get 80.5 kWh and the EPA-rated 310 miles of range that comes with it will cost an extra $9,000, putting its starting price $44,000 before incentives.

2. 2018 Tesla Model X 100D – 100 kWh

Technically speaking, this electric SUV has the same size battery as our number one spot position holder, but since it doesn’t go as far on a charge, we’re giving it the number 2 spot. The Tesla Model X, with its signature falcon-wing rear-passenger doors, is the first all-electric SUV and is available in several configurations: the 75D, with a 75 kWh battery; the 100D, the range king; and the P100D, the performance version, which, although it has the same 100 kWh battery as the non-performance 100D, loses six miles of range due to increased power output. Starting at $96,000, it delivers an impressive 295 miles of EPA-rated range.

1. 2018 Tesla Model S 100D – 100 kWh

Tesla Model S first launched in 2012 with an 85 kWh pack providing power. Groundbreaking for the time, it has since climbed up to 100 kWh in size, though, like its Model X sibling, is also currently available in a 75 kWh and a 100 kWh performance version. The Model S 100D — the “D” stands for dual motor, it’s all-wheel drive — boasts an awesome 335 miles of range, as rated by the EPA, and starts at $94,000 before incentives.

Closing

Battery capacity isn’t all that matters, but it’s generally a solid indicator of range. And bragging right of biggest battery is probably a thing among EV fans…maybe. You can check out a similar list of electric cars sorted by range here.

Are you in the US, because although the Ford Fusion Focus Electric seems to only be available in certain states, and obtaining a Model 3 would depend on pre-ordering, the Chevy Bolt should be widely available throughout the US.

It should be a little bit obvious with a name like Magnus, Norwegian, I think, and your statement that you could not buy those cars, i.e. they were not available where you live.
Probably Scandinavia.
Btw you will never get a Bolt in Europe unless you have it shipped there.

It would be helpful if the cars not available all over North America were called out. For instance the Volkswagen is not available in most markets. The Ford seems to only be available in all markets if you are willing to order one sight unseen.

I would also like to point out that right now there are over 200 new Focus Electrics sitting on dealer lots around the country. If you want a new FFE and you don’t want to wait for delivery, one of these new Focus Electrics could be sitting in your driveway next week if you don’t mind paying shipping charges. I paid $750 to have my 2017 FFE shipped from Michigan.

I don’t expect Ford to do it, but this could be a great car if:
1) It was redesigned as a wagon to add additional headroom in the back.
2) It stole the idea of the BMW i3 REX engine.
3) And it had more power on tap.

Remember BMW has great lease offers.
You can often get the better i3 for less then you’d lease some of these and the Prius Prime Advanced.

And the REX really allows you to use the 80 miles of EV range and not to worry about charging infrastructure, or being ICEd at the charging infrastructure. It gives you freedom to be able to drive, on gas if necessary, to the next charging spot.

Unlike a PHEV, on a BEV, pack size should be the first thing considered… the bigger the pack the longer the range! Of course there are reasons why an EV with a smaller pack might work just fine for someone.

But this list should be the useful starting point for people. 🙂

For anyone looking to buy a first plug-in: Charging speeds, actual EV range and battery thermal management should all be considered as well.

“Unlike a PHEV, on a BEV, pack size should be the first thing considered… the bigger the pack the longer the range!”

If pack size isn’t the first thing to consider on a PHEV, it should certainly be the second. PHEV drivers want as much EV range from their cars as possible, just like BEV drivers.

A larger pack size has multiple advantages, whether it’s a BEV or a PHEV. Not only longer EV range, but better performance within that range, the potential for faster fast-charging, and a battery pack that will last longer without significant degradation. (Obviously these are glittering generalities; exceptions can be found in individual cars, depending on engineering.)

Miles per kWh is much more important than range. Remember that a larger pack makes the EV less efficient since you will be carrying the whole battery even for short trips. City and urban home owners will prefer the Bolt EV because it has plenty of range, carries five adults, and has plenty of cargo space inside.

Yeah, the article or opening paragraph at least should say that this is a list for vehicles available in the US. There is the Zoe in Europe as you say and several longish range cars coming out of China. It’s nice to see a degree of progress though. Soon enough 40kWh is going to be the base level for the market with 60-80kWh the new median.

OMG yes, I did not occured to me that it was the case. Come on guys, you can’t write an article in English accessible to billions of English speaking readers and omit to specify in the articles title that your list actually only concerns EVs accessible to 4% of world’s population. Soon enough you will be making similar article regarding EVs only accessible to people residing in Liechtenstein.

Sorry. We added the U.S. disclaimer in BOLD. Yes, in the future, we can surely tweak lists for other individual area or all areas. This is new territory for us, in an attempt to help readers. We have a European writer that can get that information together. Great suggestion! We appreciate the constructive criticism.

You are blinded by the light. Tesla is reckless and greedy. Tesla is going to end up hurting a lot of people, it sounds like you have bought into their hype and you will be one of those that gets hurt.

I could have bought any EV I wanted but I’m on my second FFE. The biggest reason I buy the FFE is value, I feel I get more of what is important to me for what I pay for the FFE than I can get from any other EV model. The FFE is also stylish, fun to drive, practical, inexpensive to maintain and can be serviced by local Ford dealers.

No, that isn’t the first choice because Tesla doesn’t sell in all states or territories, are expensive, and have servicing problems when the nearest service shop is hundreds of miles away. Go for the Bolt EV. You can find a GM dealer almost anywhere.

I think that with finally adding at least the CCS quick charge port, it just has 1 thing that bothers folks: that rear battery bump! Clean that up, and it stands a good chance of moving up in sales numbers! Even if it never exceeds 40 kWh, or 150 mile range! (I suppose, in due time, the CCS network will get done right, too, if we are patient enough!)

In EV Events with Test Drives, for the driving response, I liked the FFE, but at that time, with just L2 charging, and that Battery Bump, it got a back burner spot in my interests.

If it had CCS from the start, and no bump, I likely would have priortized it higher in my sights! It was a good car, nice, but not excellent! ‘It coulda’ been a contenda!’

How long are you planning to wait for your Model 3 delivery? Why wait? There are a dozen Model 3s listed right now on AutoTrader.com.

Most of the Model 3s have a hundred miles or less on the odometer. It looks like at least a few early reservation holders never intended to actually drive the Model 3 but just wanted to turn it for a quick profit. Don’t expect any $35k Model 3s on AutoTrader.com, the prices start at $55k and go up as high as $70k.

In the real world usage, it might be different. For example, old i3 was rated more MPGe than SparkEV, yet constant 62 miles test showed 4.8 mi/kWh for i3 and 5 mi/kWh for SparkEV, former king of efficiency. SparkEV may still be the king until Tony Williams gets off his lazy butt and run the test with Tesla 3 and IoniqEV.

There won’t be a cap at 100 KWh since even Tesla presented the new Roadster with a 200 KWh battery.
There will be a gradual slow down in the increase when an increase is not needed anymore but that won’t happen now. At least it won’t before most cars have between 150 KWh and 200 KWh. It will even be double that for pickup trucks and full size SUV, so those will have between 300 KWh and 400 KWh.
It is only at that kind of energy content that increase will stop, so there is still at least a decade to go.

Agreed. It really depends on how ‘modern’ batteries get – if they could only advance as fast as hard disks have for computers, (most computers have far more hd space than they need but have it anyway since it is so cheap).

I have a 60 kwh battery (one of the few cars where you can REALLY get this much out of it – recharging it takes from 67 to 70 kwh from the wall receptacle) in my BOLT ev, and I consider it basically a replacement for my old roadster since I’d never buy an ev with a much smaller battery. The roadster’s MAMOTH battery at the time was really too small for my liking (at 53 rated kwh), and the BOLT ev, while better, is still the bare minimum for what I need.

I’m driving 300 miles tomorrow, and have to stop at public chargers longer than i’d like. There are no fast chargers of any kind along this absolutely shortest route.

I’d love either a 60 kwh battery in a LARGE PHEV, or else a 100-120 kwh battery in a smaller car so that I wouldn’t have to be concerned, or bother with running out of juice when my preference is to just drive and recharge when I got back home.

I need foremost a RELIABLE car, so that eliminates many manufacturers. I don’t have the time or inclination for multiple in-warranty repairs.

I get a bit irked at all the EV enthusiasts who keep advocating for small battery packs. It is EVs with larger battery packs and 300+ mile ranges which are going to make gasmobiles obsolete, not the EVs with small battery packs and tiny EV ranges!

Hyundai Ioniq has sold 100,000 + units with its 3 powertrains (Hybrid, Plugin, Electric)
Obviously being introduced first, hybrid has sold 73,000 + units while electric caught up so fast with 24,000 + units with the last introduced plugin bagging 5,000 + sales.

Certainly it’s a success story and with more battery supply being available, it’s sales could increase further in the coming months.

Isn’t it great to build 200,000 cars with 100kWh batteries rather than 400,000 cars with 50kWh batteries in them. Because we want to have longer range with fewer EVs on the road. Seems a little backwards if EV proliferation is really to take off.

More Butts In Seats – more cars, spread out the batteries. There is not an infinite amount of battery source materials available – use it wisely.